Brooro on Photography

Roman Spillmann, a.k.a. Brooro, is a Switzerland-based photographer. He is highly talented and enjoys getting lost in nature.

For those who don’t know, who in the world are you?

I’m 23 year old living near Zürich in Switzerland. I work as a designer. I spend every second of my free time doing photo walks in the city or exploring the woods. On the weekends I do short trips to the mountains or some other places in nature. Switzerland is a small country but we have so many amazing places to visit.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a naturalist, I wanted to spend all my time in the nature. As it is, I spend most of my time sitting in an office all day long, dreaming about my next trip to the Swiss mountains or a local forest.

When did you get into photography?

I started to get into photography when I was 16 years old, after I bought my first smartphone. It was the first good digital camera I could afford, with my own money. In the process of getting into photography, I simply just went into the city and did photo walks, sometimes, exploring some places which I’d never seen before.

What gear have you relied on during your progression as a photographer?

As I mentioned, I started getting into photography with a smart phone, an iPhone. In the beginning, I also used a Canon A1 from my parents. My first DSLR was a Nikon D90. Now I’m using a Nikon D800.

Can you tell us about any great moments you’ve had as a photographer?

I spend a lot of time in the woods. A few weeks ago I discovered a fox home. I couldn’t see if the home was occupied from outside. So I spent around three hours laying in a small hide waiting for any motion around the fox hole. As it started to get dark and my back started to ache, I felt like giving up but then they came out. Three baby foxes and their mother. They didn’t noticed me. They drank milk from their mother and played around like nothing could disturb them. Even thought I wasn’t able to get some good shots, due to it being too dark, it was an amazing moment. I will never forget it!

Would you call yourself a ‘sneakerhead’?

I don’t like the word ‘sneakerhead’. Nowadays everyone is calling themselves a sneakerhead. For me, loving sneakers is not about getting every new hyped release to go with the crowd and be cool, I just love comfy and nice looking shoes. I wear what I like and that’s it.

Where do you draw your inspiration from, regarding photography?

I don’t know. I just go out walking around and snapping at things I like. Sometimes, I come home without any useful shots, but that’s photography.

What are five essentials you can’t go on the road without?

I only have three things in mind. First, my camera, there’s nothing worse than missing a special moment because I don’t have any camera with me. Second, an extra battery is also very important, I’ve learned from my mistakes. Lastly, I’ve always got my iPhone with me to check all my social media accounts and show some presence.

How would you describe yourself in three words?

I don’t think you can describe a person using only three words.

How do you feel about the internet/Instagram and how do you think it’s helped you and your work?

It really helped my work. I’ve met so many people and other photographers over social media. Added to that, it’s the perfect way to connect with others and to show my work. Getting feedback or hints on how I can do it better is also quite the added benefit.

Who are three of the artists you’re listening to at the moment?

I don’t listen to any specific artist at the moment. I like old-school hip hop, I’ve got some old vinyls at home.

Which local and international photographers inspire you?

There are so many good photographers. Sometimes I just check the Instagram feed and browse through random profiles. I don’t have any favourites.